Thanks for the memories, Drew.
After 10,551 passes, it's over. Drew Brees is retiring.
The former Purdue icon left a deep imprint on the NFL following a brilliant 20-year career that has Brees pointed toward the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Brees will be remembered for many things. The myriad records, a Super Bowl championship, charity, comebacks, perseverance, drive and being a great husband and father.
Now, he will begin the next phase of his life, reportedly as a broadcaster for NBC. No doubt, he'll excel at that, too. No way anyone will prepare more thoroughly.
That's Drew.
No detail is too minute. Everything matters.
Purdue fans were among the first to see this when Brees matriculated to West Lafayette from Austin, Texas, in 1997.
That’s when a skinny kid with a surgically repaired knee and big hopes arrived as part of Joe Tiller’s first recruiting class. There was no hype ... no great expectations ... no anticipation.
No one knew back then that Purdue was getting a transcendent talent whose impact on not just a football program--but a university--would last forever. Brees loved Purdue. And Purdue loved Brees. It's a love affair that will endure.
By the time Brees left West Lafayette, he had helped change the way football was played in the Big Ten. Turns out, three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust wasn't the only way you could win in the rough-and-tumble Big Ten.
The overlooked and largely unwanted signal-caller from the Lone Star State and the fun-loving coach with a crazy basketball-on-grass offense combined to transform the Boilermaker program and Big Ten football.
Brees turned out to be too good to be true. But, it was true. All of it. The world found out what Purdue fans already knew during a decorated NFL career. It's all in black and white. Look at the record books. Numbers don't lie.
Brees’ big moments in West Lafayette were many during his three years as a starter from 1998-2000. Here are his four most memorable games while playing for Purdue during a golden era.
1. Purdue 31, Ohio State 27, October 28, 2000
This may have been the greatest game in Ross-Ade Stadium history in what was Drew Brees’ finest hour in gold and black.
The senior signal-caller saved his best of last, hitting walk-on receiver Seth Morales with a 64-yard touchdown pass with 1:55 to play to steal a huge win vs. the No. 12 Buckeyes on national TV.
The victory by No. 16 Purdue helped propel the program to the Rose Bowl for the first time since the 1966 season.
Moments before Brees hit the biggest pass in Ross-Ade Stadium annals, he had tossed what looked to be a catastrophic interception that led to an Ohio State touchdown and 27-24 lead.
But Brees showed the icy calm that had come to define his career.
2. Purdue 37, Kansas State 34, December 29, 1998
The Alamo Bowl was were Drew Brees introduced himself to America as a precocious sophomore who was on the brink of stardom.
The Boilermakers were facing a super-charged No. 4 Kansas State team that was poised to play for the national title before being upset in the Big 12 title game by Texas A&M. Did Purdue stand a chance vs. the mighty Wildcats led by QB Michael Bishop?
After watching the Wildcats rally and score a go-ahead TD with 1:24 to go during a 21-point fourth-quarter by K-State, Brees orchestrated a six-play, 80-yard touchdown drive in just 54 seconds and hit Ike Jones with a 19-yard TD toss that proved to be the winner.
It was one of the most spell-binding wins in Purdue history.
3. Purdue 32, Michigan 31, October 7, 2000
Purdue was fighting for its Rose Bowl life after suffering crushing defeats at Notre Dame and at Penn State. And the Boilermakers looked like they would have another tough pill to swallow vs. No. 6 Michigan, which had built a 28-10 lead at halftime in Ross-Ade Stadium.
But Purdue rallied, thanks to No. 15—and a defense that allowed just 79 yards and three points in the second half. Victory looked near as Travis Dorsch lined up for a 32-yard field goal late. But he missed.
No problem.
The Boilers got the ball back and Brees set Dorsch up for redemption. This time, he delivered a game-winning 33-yard boot with four seconds hanging on the clock on a day when Brees hit 32-of-44 passes for 286 yards.
4. Purdue 52, Michigan State 28, October 16, 1999
This is back in the day when Joe Tiller owned some coached named Nick Saban, who has since gone on to become arguably the greatest coach in college football history.
On this afternoon in Ross-Ade Stadium, it was Drew Brees who owned the Spartans. The Boilermaker junior quarterback had 344 yards passing at halftime en route to hitting 40-of-74 attempts for 509 yards and five TDs in a dominating win over the unbeaten and No. 5-ranked Spartans.
Chris Daniels had himself a day, setting Big Ten standards with 21 catches for 301 yards.
Amazing factoid: The No. 20-ranked Boilermakers still won on homecoming even though Brees tossed four interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns.
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